


Leaven

by Jaetion



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Mages and Templars, Meddling Kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-26
Updated: 2011-09-26
Packaged: 2017-10-24 01:25:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/257318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaetion/pseuds/Jaetion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There aren't too many places to have fun in the Tower, which is why Cullen runs into the strange boy from the Anderfels.  Who isn't funny and has dumb hair.  And also is quite possibly a bread mage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Leaven

They were almost the same age - or at least _looked_ almost the same age, since no one could get the Anders boy to divulge any of his personal information - so even though the apprentices and the recruits were instructed to remain in their separate quarters of the tower, he ran into him on occasion, both drawn to the few activities and places in the Circle that promised some modicum of fun.

Cullen was in the kitchen the first time, standing over a platter of cooling rolls and feeling the weight of guilt on his shoulders even though he hadn't even touched one yet. There was a snort at his side and before Cullen could grab the wooden sword strapped to his back, the Anders boy had his hands all over the bread, stuffing the rolls into pockets and pouches.

"They're for _dinner_ ," Cullen said in an astonished sort of voice that was too high to be impressive. "You can't _do_ that."

"Course I can!" The Anders boy shoved another one down his boot, of all places. "I'm hungry _now_. Dinner's not for ages."

"If the cooks catch you-"

"They won't, not if you don't tell."

Cullen knew that he should. There were a whole lot of _shoulds_ that he'd been memorizing. Duty was a list of _shoulds_ and honor was a list of _should nots_. But for some reason, he couldn't think of any of them. The Anders boy's initial look of wariness was replaced with amusement as he waited for Cullen's delayed response, until finally he took of a bite of the last roll and said through a mouthful, "Bread magic is almost as bad as blood magic, you know. Ooh arrgg I'm turning into a pastry abomination."

"That's not funny," Cullen began but then the Anders boy shoved the roll into Cullen's hand and spun on his heel fast as a rogue.

"Arrgg," he said cheerfully, waving over his shoulder.

The roll was still warm enough to be appetizing, even with the bite mark and missing chunk. Cullen frowned at it, at the empty platter, and the door that Anders boy had already slid through. When voices from the back of the kitchen grew louder, Cullen backed away from the table and hurried out the way he'd came. It'd be silly to put it back and wasteful to throw it away, so he stuffed it in his mouth as he jumped down the stairs. He hadn't stolen it - that had been the Anders boy - so he didn't have to feel guilty.

It was possible that mages weren't _all_ bad. But they weren't all good either.


End file.
